Working Cockers Hit the Press

[aliceandlouis]

What a happy bunch of pupsters 

Not sure how I feel about it becoming 'popular' like this though  - would be interested to hear how people who have and work cockers feel.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2055186/Why-gundogs-girls-best-friend-The-Army-wives-company-directors-hairdressers-creating-new-rural-tradition.html

[Sally and Mark]

I havent  got a worker but I thought it was a good article gave me some insight as to what goes on ,when on a shoot and the dogs looked fantastic . My face lit up when I saw the nearly double page spread

[seaangler]

Sally and Mark You don't have to have a worker..An ordinary cocker will work...(Are peggy will flush out)Once you trained it...You should see the dogs that go out with the beaters right motley lot some on them some even have border collies go out ...All makes out for a pleasant day out(A pleasant day out get it  )

Reading into i would like to know WHO pays forty pounds to beaters/picker ups..

And down this neck of the woods you have to have a dam good dog to pick up to be paid any thing nowadays.

May be up in Scotland they pay beaters and picker up's in the (grouse season).

[Helen]

It's between £15 and £30 on the shoots I know (and a beaters meal at the pub afterwards  )

What do I think of that picture?  A totally sanitised view of working 

For a start their boots are immaculate as are their clothes and have been nowhere within 50 miles of a recent shoot - no-one on a shoot I know would have their hair down because of the terrain you have to go through (blackthorn and bramble don't make the nicest combs! Nice country scarves and accessories are replaced with really thick gloves to protect hands against the cold, barbed wire and brambles and a battered leather hat so the rain doesn't get in your eyes!   There was no sign of muddy over-trousers or ripped coats and the dogs were clean & immaculate!  Jarvis is always caked in mud and his ears and feathers and tail are full of brambles, thorns and sticky buds 

On second thoughts maybe we're the odd ones and they're the norm     Oh and a lot of the shoots down here seem to be a little misogynistic 

[SteveB]

I know Andrea had £10 for beating plus fed and watered

[Wendy G]

I used to get paid about £10 I think, depending on how many guns there were.

Although the picture does state, that it was taken before the shoot, none of their clothing looks worn, ripped or used and where are their beating
sticks?.
I used to wear some very attractive thornproof over trousers with very fetching ex german army braces.

I would hate to think that this article encourages people to take on working gun dogs on a whim, which will result in more dogs ending up in rescue when they get fed up of them, or realise that they are too high maintenance.

[aliceandlouis]

I used to get paid about £10 I think, depending on how many guns there were.

Although the picture does state, that it was taken before the shoot, none of their clothing looks worn, ripped or used and where are their beating
sticks?.
I used to wear some very attractive thornproof over trousers with very fetching ex german army braces.

I would hate to think that this article encourages people to take on working gun dogs on a whim, which will result in more dogs ending up in rescue when they get fed up of them, or realise that they are too high maintenance.

Yes, I think this was my concern as well - but you have put it so much better than I would have been able to 

[LynneB]

I used to get paid about £10 I think, depending on how many guns there were.

Although the picture does state, that it was taken before the shoot, none of their clothing looks worn, ripped or used and where are their beating
sticks?.
I used to wear some very attractive thornproof over trousers with very fetching ex german army braces.

I would hate to think that this article encourages people to take on working gun dogs on a whim, which will result in more dogs ending up in rescue when they get fed up of them, or realise that they are too high maintenance.

Yes, I think this was my concern as well - but you have put it so much better than I would have been able to 

Definitely....and what about the "wounded birds"

[SteveB]

Definitely....and what about the "wounded birds"
That is  why you use dogs to retrieve so that they can be returned quickly and humanely despatched

[hanandhen]

Paid, what is this strange concept of which you speak? I don't get paid, I get my lunch and a brace of phessies if I want them (I always do!), which suits me fine

None of them have got muddy pawprints all the way up their fronts either, which is what normally happens to me when His Lordship Henry gets a bit over the top

[west]

"Definitely....and what about the wounded birds"

There is nothing worse than a 'winged' bird running off and not getting found.  Nobody wants that and it always causes an uneasy feeling.  In my experience, it takes a good dog to catch a running bird and bring it 'live to hand'.  Ours is not a good dog!!  But I have seen some amazing labs catch runners and bring them back for dispatch.

I don't know about anybody else, but I thought there was a fair bit of inverse snobbery in the comments underneath. I grant you that there are many 'well-to-do people' who take part in shoots but I hate the way that people immediately sneer at it and assume that everybody is like that. I hate this its-alright-for-them-type attitude.  I have worked for many well-to-do people and have had a lot of respect for them. I think people hear a 'plum' voice and immediately judge people and I think that is just as bad as the other way round.

BTW... I have caught myself doing it on occasion and was really disapponted at myself.

[spaniel04]

If anyone is interested what 'real' beaters' lives are like have a look at this http://www.countrytalk.co.uk/html/beating_line.html   

Most of the photos are taken on one of the shoots I work as a beater with my dogs here on Exmoor. 

[seaangler]

"Definitely....and what about the wounded birds"

There is nothing worse than a 'winged' bird running off and not getting found.  Nobody wants that and it always causes an uneasy feeling.  In my experience, it takes a good dog to catch a running bird and bring it 'live to hand'.  Ours is not a good dog!!  But I have seen some amazing labs catch runners and bring them back for dispatch.

I don't know about anybody else, but I thought there was a fair bit of inverse snobbery in the comments underneath. I grant you that there are many 'well-to-do people' who take part in shoots but I hate the way that people immediately sneer at it and assume that everybody is like that. I hate this its-alright-for-them-type attitude.  I have worked for many well-to-do people and have had a lot of respect for them. I think people hear a 'plum' voice and immediately judge people and I think that is just as bad as the other way round.

BTW... I have caught myself doing it on occasion and was really disapponted at myself.

We always have a German wired haired pointer at hand and take out with us if one of the shooters do wing a big bird like geese..And they will soon dispatch the bird....Its just one of the hazards when out shooting....

[seaangler]

If anyone is interested what 'real' beaters' lives are like have a look at this http://www.countrytalk.co.uk/html/beating_line.html   

Most of the photos are taken on one of the shoots I work as a beater with my dogs here on Exmoor. 

I am not comdeming the beat link it looks like a lot of fun for some and it is....But its not there the safety side to it....Just look at the tracter with the trailer on its side...What if some one in injuredand no one has insurence..ware do you stand!!!!

Its not like that at are beats..That is more like a party going on(or some posh do going on)....(I also see from the link there is hardly any form of health and safety)....And no one has mention getting Insurance for then selves...MOST INPORTENT....Are game keeper would NOT let any one on a beat with out it....

For a link to get insurance http://www.nobs.org.uk/